Acoustic tumours in Alexandria: diagnostic and operative study

ABSTRACT

Acoustic tumours are still one of the main problems both the otologist and the neurosurgeon are confronted with in Egypt. The early diagnosis and the choice of the surgical approach whether middle fossa, translaberynthine or suboccipital are discussed after reviewing the 39 cases met with in Alexandria over the last 15 years. Particular attention is given to the different clinical presentations and the very early auditory symptoms of the tumours. The reliability of the simple diagnostic radiological and audiometric tests are compared to the recent sophisticated CT scanning, polytomography and brain stem evoked response. The high operative mortality and morbidity in our series is analysed and the value of microneurosurgery in total extracapsular tumour resection is stressed upon